Kimi Antonelli continued Mercedes’ strong form at the Madring by setting the fastest time in Free Practice 3, while crashes for Lewis Hamilton and Ollie Bearman twice brought out the red flags ahead of qualifying.
Kimi Antonelli once again led the way at the Spanish Grand Prix, topping Free Practice 3 ahead of Charles Leclerc in a session that was twice interrupted by heavy crashes.
The Mercedes driver carried his impressive pace from Friday’s FP2 into Saturday, setting a benchmark of 1m 32.797s during the final hour of practice at the new Madring circuit.
However, the session was far from smooth. Around 30 minutes of running were lost following incidents involving Hamilton and Bearman, leaving teams with limited time to prepare their cars for the crucial qualifying session later in the day.
With valuable data still needed at a brand-new venue, it was surprisingly quiet at the beginning of FP3. No cars ventured onto the circuit until five minutes had elapsed, while most of the leading contenders waited even longer for conditions to become more representative.
Lando Norris was among those particularly eager to make up for lost mileage after his McLaren suffered a gearbox problem that kept him out for almost the entirety of FP2.
The reigning World Champion initially struggled to put a clean lap together, aborting his first flying effort on soft tyres after cutting the Turn 5 chicane.
The Ferraris of Hamilton and Leclerc were instead among the early pace-setters.
There were already warning signs around the Madring, however. Carlos Sainz narrowly avoided a head-on collision with the barrier at Turn 7, while Williams team-mate Alex Albon had earlier brushed the wall at the exit of Turn 20, damaging a rear track rod.
As the session approached its 20-minute mark, Antonelli finally moved to the top with a 1m 33.664s.
Leclerc responded almost immediately, lowering the benchmark to 1m 33.332s.
Hamilton then appeared ready to challenge for the top spot. But the seven-time World Champion’s lap ended violently at the final corner when he went head-on into the barrier.
The crash triggered the first red flag of the session.
Leclerc also encountered trouble shortly afterwards. The Ferrari driver was forced to return toward the pits while carrying a damaged front wing and a front-right puncture. After repeated instructions from Ferrari to stop the car, Leclerc eventually pulled off the circuit.
With barrier repairs required, the session clock was temporarily stopped. When FP3 finally resumed, only 15 minutes remained.
That triggered an immediate rush onto the track as drivers scrambled to complete qualifying-style laps and gather whatever information they could before the chequered flag.
Among them was Arvid Lindblad, who made his first appearance since crashing during FP2. Racing Bulls had worked quickly to repair his newly rebuilt car and get the young driver back on track.
Leclerc wasted no time once the session resumed, improving to 1m 32.963s and becoming the first driver to break into the 1m 32s range.
Antonelli initially fell three-tenths short, while Oscar Piastri and George Russell also joined the fight near the front.
Norris then showed just how much pace McLaren had despite his lack of running. On only his third flying lap of the day, he moved to within one-tenth of Leclerc’s benchmark.
But Antonelli had the final word.
With five minutes remaining, the Mercedes driver produced a 1m 32.797s to retake the top spot.
And nobody could beat it.
The session was interrupted for a second time in the final minute when Bearman suffered a high-speed crash through Turn 10 in his Haas.
The incident left Haas facing a frantic race against time to repair the car before qualifying.
Antonelli therefore finished FP3 just over one-tenth clear of Leclerc, with Piastri, Norris, Max Verstappen, George Russell, Liam Lawson, Nico Hulkenberg, Hamilton and Gabriel Bortoleto completing the top 10.
Franco Colapinto ended the session 11th for Alpine, ahead of Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Bearman.
Lindblad was 14th, followed by Racing Bulls team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
Pierre Gasly was 16th for Alpine, with home hero Fernando Alonso 17th for Aston Martin.
Sainz was 18th, followed by Lance Stroll, the Cadillac duo of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, while Alex Albon finished without setting a time.
FP3 delivered exactly the kind of chaos you would expect from a brand-new F1 venue. Antonelli looks increasingly comfortable at the Madring, but the crashes involving Hamilton and Bearman are a reminder that this circuit punishes even the smallest mistake. With limited running and several drivers still searching for the ideal setup, qualifying could become a serious test of nerve rather than simply outright car performance. Antonelli may have the momentum, but Leclerc, Norris, Piastri and Verstappen are close enough to turn pole position into anyone’s game.
What do you think? Can Antonelli convert his FP3 pace into pole position, or will Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull strike back in qualifying? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Adhe is part of the 88 Eight Box Editorial Team, covering JDM culture, motorsport, automotive technology, and industry news. The team focuses on delivering original automotive stories, reviews, and insights for enthusiasts worldwide.
